The Betty Trask Award winner: A young female convict recounts her life to discover the good in it, and in herself, in this ';moving, compassionate' novel (The Sunday Times). Twenty-one-year-old Beth has done plenty of good, grown-up sorts of thingsincluding having a baby. But she's also done something bad enough to land her in prison. At the urging of her counselor, she begins to make a list of all the good things that have happened to her. It's difficult at first, as she was abandoned by her mother and shuffled from one foster home to another. Hers is a life that veered from a brilliantly artistic childhood to rough boyfriends and thankless jobs. As she writes, however, she begins to understand that every life has moments of peace, friendship, and triumph. From sharing silence with someone she loves, to feeling so happy it hurts, she begins to see her lifeand herselfanew. But Beth must also acknowledge the act that sent her to jail, and confront the question: Is there a chance for her redemption?
'Heartfelt, heartbreaking, and genuinely joyous' -- Francis Spufford, author of 'Golden Hill
'I raced through this beautiful novel, which oscillates between pain and hope, anger and joy. An important novel which celebrates the fact that good things exist inside every person, no matter how ignored or hidden.' -- Sarah Butler, author of 'Ten Things I've Learned About Love and 'Before the Fire'
'A heartbreaking, vital and seamless insight into a life that might otherwise be ignored or judged. The voice of Bethany is perfect - compelling, whip-smart and deeply affecting.' -- Emma Jane Unsworth, author of 'Animals'
Author
About Clare Fisher
Clare Fisher was born in Tooting, south London in 1987. After accidentally getting obsessed with writing fiction when she should have been studying for a BA in History at the University of Oxford, Clare completed an MA in Creative and Life Writing at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and now works as a bookseller in Leeds. An avid observer of the diverse area of south London in which she grew up, Clare's writing is inspired by her long-standing interest in social exclusion and the particular ways in which it affects vulnerable women and girls. All The Good Things is her first novel.
